Robin's Favorite Holiday
by katergator
Summary: The Titans host a haunted house for the citizens of Jump, and the time finally seems to be right for Robin and Starfire. Entry for Kry and Airdrie's Rob/Star First Kiss Contest 2011.


Kater's entry for _Kryalla Orchid and Star of Airdrie's Robin and Starfire's First Kiss Writing Contest. _Assumes Tokyo never happened. Lame title is lame, but I seriously could not think of anything better. With my track record I am absolutely amazed I got this done before the deadline. Rated for some swearing and mild suggestiveness. Not making any money off this, so don't sue me. I don't have any money anyway. You can have the lint at the bottom of my purse, if you really want. And maybe some old tic tacs. That's all I got. Enough rambling about how I'm poor, on with the story.

* * *

It was that time of year again.

Robin always regarded Halloween with amusement. Superheroes were popular with the local kids and there were a number of little Batmans, Supermans, Robins, Wonderwomans, and so forth running around every year. He was pleased to see in the years following the Titans' establishment in Jump that little Beast Boys, Ravens, Starfires, and Cyborgs became some of the hottest costumes. It was the sincerest form of flattery.

One way the Titans liked to give back around Halloween was to host a haunted house, powered by Raven. After the _Wicked Scary_ incident they realized Raven could make the coolest and scariest haunted house ever, and one hundred percent of the money raised from admission went to the local Youth Center for disadvantaged kids.

They set up in the old town hall building, which had a large meeting hall, smaller conference rooms and hallways. It was perfect for setting up a maze, obstacles, and scary props.

Robin and Starfire had been assigned the mylar maze. Starfire asked what exactly was mylar and he was happy to oblige, explaining that it was the shiny silver material used to make helium balloons. An entire maze covered in the reflective surface plus a strobe light made for a very cool and creepy effect.

Robin felt a little stab of nostalgia. It had been awhile since she'd needed clarification on something and while he used to find it slightly annoying, he missed it now. She didn't need her go-to-guy anymore, she understood things and made connections quicker. It made him worry a little that she didn't need him anymore.

He unrolled a sheet of mylar from the huge reel and glanced over at Starfire. She grinned back at him and he swore she batted her eyes a little. This made a blush creep into his cheeks and onto the back of his neck. Maybe she didn't need him like she used to, but maybe… instead of needing, maybe she _wanted_? Robin fought back a sigh. He didn't know what he wanted himself.

Things had been different since the Titans came back from defeating the Brotherhood of Evil. Actually, it was more accurate to say things had been different between him and Starfire. And it had more to do with the time they spent together stranded on that planet.

That special word had been looming over Robin ever since.

_Girlfriend_.

He had placated her and left loose ends after that. She seemed to have grasped the concept of what a girlfriend was, but she didn't press it further. She didn't do things any differently than they had done before they talked about their odd relationship status. She didn't hold his hand, she didn't request that he buy her flowers, she didn't snuggle up closer to him when they watched movies, she didn't kiss him…

He was at war with himself. He felt like they were more than just best friends, but at the same time he was terrified of taking it to the next level. Even when the hormonal teenage boy parts of his mind entertained doing just that at night, he had no clue how to accomplish it in real life. Swinging in and saving her from zombie Slade, literally sweeping her off her feet with a flourish and giving her a dramatic movie-worthy kiss (complete with swelling violin symphony) didn't seem prudent. Nor did the slightly R-rated dreams where she came into his room in nothing but an oversized tee shirt, begging him to-

Yeeeah. He really needed to focus, because he was blushing brilliantly and Starfire was doing that adorable confused/slightly concerned head tilt as she gazed at him with her cute little bottom lip-

_Focus!_

He cleared his throat and began lining the walls of the maze with the mylar. She looked like she was going to say something, then thought better of herself and shrugged, handing him a roll of duck tape. His heart fluttered and his stomach flip-flopped when her fingertips brushed his.

This was going to be a loooong afternoon.

In his mind the real hurdle they had to cross was kissing. He knew she was aware of what kissing meant to humans. She was conscious that their first lip contact was not the same. Thank God Raven had literally taken one for the team and purchased a book that explained everything for her, and fielded any questions she had, as the boys completely failed on that front. The first time Starfire asked a blush inducing question at the breakfast table Robin could only sputter and stare into his coffee cup like there was something magical going on in there. He became nervous every time she scrutinized a couple kissing on screen and then turned those big inquisitive eyes toward him, like she was examining him, wondering if this was something they could be doing and whether it would be as enjoyable. He knew she previously did not view the joining of mouths to be erotic per her culture, but lately he noticed her reacting to couples kissing the longer she stayed on Earth and the more she tried to assimilate. Dilated pupils, nostrils flaring, flush to the cheeks. It was pretty easy to tell when she was swooning. The clutched hands to her chest, the sweet watery smile, and the blinky eyes were pretty obvious too.

He would blush hot and clear his throat nervously and change the subject, even though they never spoke about it out loud.

It was a great way to start off their current weird undefined pseudo relationship. She asked about kissing once when she first came to Earth and observed Earthlings engaging in the practice, and at the time Robin only had a teeny crush on her and it wasn't as awkward to explain, since he had been explaining everything back then. She imparted the knowledge that it was very strange to her and she revealed she kissed him when they first met to acquire English but it meant nothing more. He should've taken note of the curious hunger in her eyes, because that curiosity continued to grow in the following years.

She maintained an interesting balance between her Tamaranian culture and embracing the lifestyle of humans. She wanted to learn, she wanted to be a part of her new world, but he could see her struggle with her original heritage and what that meant to her.

Which was still truly a mystery to him. She was a princess. She was being sold as a slave when they met. Robin never pried, but he had the sense she was hiding something huge about her past. Princesses don't normally get sold as slaves by their own subjects. She didn't talk about her parents. Not once did he ever hear her mention her mother or father, even in passing. Not even the words themselves. Her only family he knew of was Blackfire, and he had a feeling the rest of her family was worse, and therefore went unmentioned. She talked about everything Tamaran except for anything that was personally close to her.

He realized if he wanted to know more, he would have to cross a line he hadn't even recognized he'd drawn. It always seemed to come back to kissing. It was the magical door that crossed into true girlfriend territory. At least for him. For all he knew Starfire could have been treating him like a Tamaranian boyfriend for years. It was another discussion they desperately needed to have and one Robin kept avoiding like the plague.

Damn Bruce and his stunted emotions. The man could do anything except admit he cared about anyone. Robin had once been a free spirit but the death of his parents and the oppression of Gotham soured him on pretty much everything. He knew he was cynical and poured himself into his work and pushed away his friends. He was willing to concede one of the most attractive things about Starfire was her ability to wear her heart on her sleeve and view everything with a child-like wonder. Perhaps her free spirit called to the one he knew existed in himself somewhere, in the mind of an eight-year-old boy who liked to soar through the sky too and loved his parents.

He glanced over at her and stopped to stare involuntarily. She was bending over and picking up another roll of tape. She straightened up, turned around and caught him. Robin tried to turn away before she saw but she was too quick. There was a knowing grin on her face and he didn't look back at her while he busied his hands and tried to straighten another sheet of slippery mylar on the maze wall. Since he was now flustered he couldn't hold up the sheet and tape it at the same time. He ended up with the mylar fluttering to the floor and a length of duck tape wrapped around one hand.

Starfire giggled and floated over, helping him unwrap the tape and picked up the sheet so she could hold it and he could tape it.

"Thanks," he muttered, embarrassed.

"It was my pleasure," she responded, and he ignored the heat in his belly at hearing her say the word "pleasure."

It was times like this when he wanted to kiss her so badly but couldn't figure out how in his fumbling brain. What if she didn't want him to and slapped him? What if she hated it? What if it ruined their friendship and then he wouldn't have her as a girlfriend _or_ a friend? Too many negative rhetorical questions whirled around his mind and he stood there like something had shorted out.

"Robin?" Starfire asked, concerned. She waved her hand in front of his face.

"Oh, ah, sorry," he bumbled, springing to life and fumbling for his roll of tape. "This maze is huge and we have a long way to go. Should really get started."

Starfire did that confused/concerned thing again. "But we have already covered half the maze."

"Ah… yeah. Right. So we should get started on the other half." Nice save, Boy Blunder.

She crossed her arms and regarded him, but continued on with another sheet of mylar.

"This is going to look very scary when we are finished," Starfire remarked.

"Definitely," Robin agreed.

Robin and Starfire finally finished covering the maze walls. Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy all checked in via the communicator, verifying that all the preparations were complete and everyone was ready to go home. They ran the haunted house for the week of Halloween and tomorrow was the opening day. Robin had to hang a disclaimer stating that in the event of an emergency the house might be immediately unattended should the Titans be called to action. They did have a few helpers from the Youth Center who would assist during the open hours, but Raven's spooky additions would be absent if the Titans had to answer an alert.

Starfire gathered up the last few rolls of duck tape, putting them on her arms like bracelets, and the two started winding through the maze to the entrance.

Robin noticed Starfire walked a little closer to him than usual, her hip even bumped his a couple times. The maze was narrow and left just enough room for two people to walk side by side. His heart almost stopped in his chest when her fingers accidently brushed his. He tried to play it cool and not react.

He snuck a glance at her from behind his mask. She remained looking forward, but he could see a tiny little smirk on her lips. She was teasing. Well two could play at that game.

He purposely brushed his hand against hers. He felt her flex, and her pinkie finger just caught with his. His heart started fluttering erratically. They walked a few more paces, and then her hand ever so naturally slipped into his.

They were holding hands. _Holding hands!_ It was a start right? _Don't panic, this is good. She likes you. She likes you and she's holding your hand and she's not letting go and this means something. _

They hit a dead end.

"Um… I don't remember the way out," Robin said sheepishly. Someone had been too busy analyzing the way her warm delicate hand fit into his and what that meant for their friendship and the team and maybe she was too busy doing mile wide loops in her head to realize he had no clue where he was going. What a pair.

"Oh," Starfire said, turning around and appraising the way they had come. "One moment, I will return."

She zipped off, leaving a streak of green behind which reflected off all the shiny mylar. Robin regretted that he had to let go of her hand. Which was good right? Not bad, good. Very good.

She came flying back and stopped short in front of him. She picked up his hand in the pretense of leading him.

"It is this way," she beamed.

All those years of secretly crushing on her but not letting himself get too close were clogging up his head as her fingers entwined with his. They had held hands before in other circumstances, but usually the parameters were life or death, or at the very least a threatening situation. This was casual. This was making his heart pound and his breath catch and a thrill kept creeping through his stomach.

They finally made it to the end of the haunted house and as they exited Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were standing around waiting for them. Cyborg and Beast Boy were engaged in a raucous conversation about who could eat the most ketchup packets before getting sick and didn't notice the pair coming out of the tunnel. Raven could sense them a mile away and looked at them curiously. She caught them dropping their hands and hid a smile. It was about time if you asked her. The most frustrating thing living with those two over the past few years was watching them secretly swoon over each other and knowing she shouldn't interfere. It had been extremely tempting, but she knew she couldn't push Robin. Starfire would jump at him in a heartbeat, but Robin needed to come to his own conclusions. Maybe all those nights of girl talk of Starfire lamenting about his thick stupid head would finally end. Raven blanched. Instead she'd get a play by play of their entire relationship now. Greeeat.

"Robin, who could eat more ketchup packets, me or old chrome dome here?" Beast Boy demanded.

"Sorry Beast Boy, but I gotta go with Cyborg. He's literally a food dumpster."

"Ha!" Cyborg exclaimed. "And I'm gonna ignore the more derogatory implication of that, Robin."

Robin grinned. "You're totally a food whore, Cyborg."

Cyborg huffed and acted offended.

"I calls 'em like I sees 'em."

"So that's what y'all think of me. Good to know, the truth hurts."

"That it does. Can we go home now? I think everything is all set for tomorrow," Robin said, glancing around and making one last mental check.

"All right, suit up and ship out evre'body," Cyborg said, hustling them all out the front door.

"I call movie night!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Fine, but you don't get to pick the movie. I can't sit through _Anchor Man_ for the fifteenth time," Raven interjected quickly.

"Oh come on, it would only be the twelfth time. And how can you not love it? Baxter! The man! The Burrito! I'm in a glass case of emooootion!"

Raven groaned and buried her face in her hands. "You're going to subject us to quotes the entire ride home, aren't you?"

"I have many leather bound books, and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."

"Oh God please make it stop."

"I want to be on you."

"I will send you to the deepest level of Hell."

Robin turned around from shotgun and glanced into the back seat.

"You better listen to her, you know she'll do it."

"Fine, fine I'll stop. But only if you all participate in a five part harmony of _Afternoon Delight_."

"I'm opening the portal, right under your seat," Raven threatened, raising her hand and making it glow with power.

Beast Boy gulped and mimed the motion of zipping his lips.

"I think you have mental problems," Robin said.

"Oooh! Oooooh!" Beast Boy exclaimed, clapping a hand over his mouth and pointing emphatically at Robin.

"Not the same," Raven stated.

"But it was a quote, that's not fair!" Beast Boy whined.

"His delivery was actually timed correctly and had a place in the conversation."

"A place in a conversation of movie quotes," Beast Boy pointed out. "That I totally started."

"You work with what you got," Robin shrugged. "I win."

"What is this? Pick on Beast Boy day?" Beast Boy complained.

"Every day is pick on Beast Boy day," Cyborg said gleefully. Robin laughed and gave him a high five.

"You guys suck," Beast Boy said, crossing his arms and mock pouting.

"Y'all know we love ya B," Cyborg said, grinning into the rear view mirror as he opened the secret door to the underwater tunnel connected to the tower.

ooo

Later that night, after dinner had been made and consumed and various evening rituals taken care of, the Titans settled on the couch for Beast Boy's movie night. Raven had purposely hidden _Anchor Man_ so Beast Boy couldn't possibly find it. She also took it upon herself to hide _MacGruber_, _Hot Tub Time Machine_, _Blades of Glory_, _Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby_, and pretty much any other Will Ferrell or dumb slapstick comedy in the tower. Beast Boy looked puzzled for all but a second until he accused Raven of her subterfuge and she told him it would be a cold day in Hell before he found them on his own. He pouted and Cyborg chose the movie for the night, one they all miraculously agreed upon.

Robin planted on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and Starfire floated down beside him. She tucked her legs up underneath herself, which made her lean into his side a little. He stone faced, worried that a grin would break out because his heart was doing that fluttery thing again at her close proximity. Her hair was a fresh clean scent from her shampoo and she radiated heat. Her body temperature ran hotter than humans, and he could certainly feel it with her arm leaning against his. He could only imagine how nice and warm she'd feel if he cuddled up to her on a cold winter night-

Okay, thoughts roaming into the danger zone. The _Top Gun_ opening theme started looping through his head, and then he told himself that was really lame and tried to concentrate on the movie again.

She shifted and her knees lowered so they were resting on his, and every place her body touched his made him more and more worked up. It felt so good, after holding himself back for so long and not letting himself think of her that way. It was exciting and refreshing and for once he wasn't paying attention to a movie because he had crime stats and clues taking up his mental alertness, but her. It was all her. The way her knees brushed against his thigh, her hair tickling his arm, her hand resting in the little space between them, just waiting to be held. He crossed his arms, his left over his right so his left elbow shielded the space between them. His heart jumped when his fingers brushed hers.

He was infinitely grateful for his mask, because he totally looked at her in his peripheral vision and was pleased to see her looking flustered. She could never hide her emotions as well as he could. He passed his fingers over hers again, deliberately, and she wriggled in her seat and hooked one finger through his. He took her blatant invitation and slid into her grip, and they connected for the second time that day.

Robin felt triumphant. He played it cool on the outside, because his and Starfire's elbows blocked their joined hands and none of the other Titans would be able to tell what they were doing, but inside he was jumping for joy and whooping it up and he barely managed to keep a full fledged beam from breaking out on his face. It seemed kind of stupid, whoo hoo, he was holding a girl's hand, but it was Starfire and they were being sneaky and it felt so amazing because it was toeing the line he had drawn for himself.

He fervently wished the other Titans had been busy and it was just Starfire and him, because he felt certain that if they were alone he would have kissed her. She looked ready to be kissed. Her cheeks were dusted with pink and her eyes were glassy and she was licking her lips in an attempt to keep herself from grinning. He found the sight of her mouth even more distracting than their joined hands.

It was from that moment he realized it was going to happen, he wanted and he wanted it bad, and it was only a matter of time before the perfect moment presented itself and he was going to take it.

As the movie finished out, Starfire never let go of Robin's hand but she did doze off, her head nodding against his shoulder. After the initial endorphin rush subsided, he mostly felt peaceful with her weight pressing into him and her gentle breaths rising and falling in time with his own. Beast Boy had hopped up and shut the tv down, Cyborg stood up and made generic statements about heading to power off, and Raven stood up and stretched.

"Looks like someone was tired," Robin said, quickly sliding his hand out of Starfire's and shifting her before anyone noticed, hoping to avoid teasing from the guys. Raven just gave him a knowing look.

Honestly, she had to get up more than once and make a snack run or a bathroom break, simply because Robin and Starfire's emotions were drowning out the movie. It was so completely obvious. But she was sincerely happy for them, and as Beast Boy and Cyborg filtered out of the room, she asked, "You got her?"

"Yeah," Robin said, gently shaking Starfire's shoulder. Starfire mumbled and fluttered her eyes for a moment before looping her arms around Robin's neck and nestling into his chest, falling back into slumber. He blushed and Raven smirked.

"Sure looks like you do. Well I'm turning in. Night." She headed for her room.

Robin tried to position Starfire's body so he could stretch an arm under her legs. Normally, due to warrior instincts, she wasn't a very deep sleeper and could be roused easily. When she was extremely tired and worn out she was a little harder to wake, so Robin figured she must have had a long day setting up the haunted house and he resolved to carry her to her room.

He swung her body into his lap and managed to get a good grip on her legs and back. Then he inched to the edge of the couch where he could heft himself up. She kept her arms draped around his neck, her head lolling on his shoulder.

Once he made it to her room he elbowed the door pad and it slid open. He gently laid her on her the bed, her arms disengaging from his neck and he placed one on her stomach and one at her side. Then he realized she still had her boots and gloves on and thought it would be uncomfortable to sleep that way. So he began ever so carefully sliding them off, hopeful not to wake her. He clicked off her belt and pulled it out from underneath her and took off her gloves. He ignored the blood rushing to lower places at the implications of removing her clothes, but really, it was sort of titillating. Any other time he would've let her sleep in her clunky boots and metal accessories, feeling that taking off these items while she was not conscious would've been way over the line. Now… well maybe he was enjoying the sight of her long legs and the smooth uninterrupted skin that was presented to him. Her toenails were painted bright pink and he smiled because it was cutely feminine. Her hair fanned around her over the pillow and she looked at peace and so beautiful. He had always noticed, but he finally let himself fully appreciate it. He slipped the covers over her body, and hesitated before leaning down and feather light kissed her on the forehead.

After Robin's steps faded down the hall Starfire cracked one eye open, finally letting the huge grin break out on her face. She sat up and mostly floated out of her bed giggling because she couldn't contain herself. So maybe she was the world's best fake sleeper and it was sort of dishonest but that had been totally worth it. If he could ever be that tender with her when she wasn't sleeping it would take her breath away. She wondered if Raven were still awake and if she would be up for some girl talk. She was too giddy to sleep now. She snuck out of her room and barely contained the squeal welling in her throat as she flew to Raven's door as fast as she could.

ooo

At five o'clock the next day the Titans and a group of volunteers from the Youth Center met at the haunted house and opened it for the public. A volunteer manned the front and let about ten people run through the house at a time so Raven could concentrate her powers in one place for each group. The volunteer at the start of the house would call "Fresh meat!" into the doorway so the Titans knew a set was coming through.

The entry featured a long pitch-black tunnel, draped with cobwebs. It was so dark no one could see their hand in front of their face. A sound track with Halloween sounds played over the loudspeaker throughout the entire house, filling the air with creaking doors, chains, howls, cackles, and moans. Eventually the tunnel reached another dark room based on Raven's mindscape. It was starry and had creepy gnarled trees, with Raven's four eyed birds perched in the branches. As the group of people moved through the birds all turned their heads and watched their progress. It called to mind Alfred Hitchcock's _The Birds_ and it really made their patrons uncomfortable as they reached the middle of the room and one bird flapped and flew to another tree, unsettling another one and soon they were all flapping and cawing and circling the room, diving at the poor unsuspecting people below. People screeched and covered their heads and ran for the exit.

The next part was odd twisting tunnel ways, filled with more webs and things to catch on. Little rats with four red eyes scampered around, making people jump and watch their footing.

It dumped them out to a dark doorway which was Starfire's part of the house. She lit up her eyes from within the darkened room and let out a series of snarls and growls the other Titans were not aware she could produce. Originally Beast Boy was going to be in the room, changed into a lion or some other animal that could roar, but he wanted to be in a part later in the house and Starfire proclaimed she would make a good substitute. It worked, because the people in the tour realized there was nowhere to go except into the room with the glowy snarly creature and every one of them hesitated. Starfire continued her low menacing growls and crawled up and around the walls while the group filtered through, huddled together. She controlled her powers so her eyes didn't emit enough to illuminate her face, and she had put in special glowing fangs to really make it frightening. When she darted into the air over the already nervous people and swooped at them, she was pleased to hear more than one screech and they raced out of there in one jumbled clump. She held back the giggles, as that would ruin the effect, but this sure was fun.

The next part of the hallway made everyone skid to a stop as there was a ten-foot gap in the floor. They all perched at the perimeter, wondering how to cross it. It was actually a sheet of Raven's powers, perfectly stable to cross over. One brave soul touched the edge with their foot and realized it was solid. As the group continued nervously over the stretch Raven was super sneaky and opened a portal. Oh the screams from that as they all fell into pitch black. She deposited them right on the other side, catching them all in a net of her powers and setting them all down safely.

While the other things in the house could have been considered gimmicks, this completely unhinged the group's compose. A closed door was up ahead and they all shakily moved toward it, until a shadow figure darted from one wall and disappeared into the other right in front of them. A few more curse words were uttered and no one moved forward.

"That was freaky, right? I didn't imagine that?" one of the guys muttered.

Nobody really wanted to know what was behind the door but there was nowhere to go but forward. They reached the door and slowly pulled it open.

"Oh come _on_," someone moaned.

"Okay, this is seriously the creepiest room I have ever been in," someone declared.

The room featured shelves and shelves of dolls and toys. Collectibles, clowns, baby dolls, little monkeys with cymbals, all their blank eyes staring at them.

More curses.

"Chucky, anyone?" someone said.

"It's moving. Oh. Em. Gee. I think that one is _moving_."

"It's just your imagination, they can't actually—FUCK. Get the fuck out of here now, it's gonna kill us!"

They all bolted for the exit, as one of the dolls (animated by Raven's powers of course) started to get up and lurch after them.

They slammed the door and heaved in breaths of relief. Except now they found themselves in a morgue, furnished with a gurney and a sheet covered body, blood staining the cloth around the head and stomach. Bowls filled with various body organs, a severed hand on a table. Sharp tools and various medical paraphernalia rested on a tray.

"Eeww," someone said desperately.

"It's just a display," someone else said, swallowing hard because the blood sure did look realistic. So did that hand. These were top-notch props. As they scooted past the gurney, the body under the sheet rustled, just slightly.

"GO GO GO GO."

As the people scampered out, Robin sat up and grinned.

This room dumped them into the mylar maze Robin and Starfire had spent so much time setting up. The strobe lights were on and made it extremely disorientating to navigate. Raven also lent her powers to the maze, making more shadow figures flit ahead of the group, and birds swooping and flying. Up ahead, the pathways emptied into the dead end where Cyborg was dressed as a grim reaper, complete with huge scythe. His cybernetic eye glowed red under his hood and he stretched out a bony hand and pointed to the right path through the maze. He looked rather terrifying in the flickering lights. The effect was perfect when Raven added some more shadow figures flittering around him.

At the end of the maze the last room featured an eerie eclectic combination of weird things. The lights were off except for white Christmas lights that were strung around the room. There was a park bench with a little cluster of trees, an old rocking chair, which was in just enough motion to be unsettling. A vanity table and mirror with an antique silver brush set on its surface. A large old wooden trunk. Besides providing a sort of odd atmosphere this room wasn't traditionally scary. As the group walked past the trunk however, Beast Boy popped out of it in a ghoulish looking costume and every single person screamed. He cackled and giggled while everyone clutched their chests and wished everyone a happy Halloween, and that concluded the haunted house. He pumped his fist when he heard someone remark, "I think I peed a little." _Win_.

The volunteers at the end of the house had candy for the participants. In all, the evening was very successful and after the last group had gone through the Titans were ready to call it a night.

The volunteers packed up and secured the donation money, and Robin and Starfire offered to run through the house just to make absolutely sure none of the public had stayed behind and wouldn't get locked in, and to unplug all the strobe lights in the maze. Raven could've swept the building with her powers, but she kept her mouth shut and heroically kept the smirk off her face. Beast Boy was in the bathroom removing his ghoul makeup and Cyborg was attempting to get his grim reaper robes off. Robin had changed out of the medical gown he had on in case anyone tried to peak under the sheet and Starfire was dressed in black leather pants and a long sleeved black zip up jacket. Robin freely admitted the sight of her in those tight clothes made him drool in his head and almost for real. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Wow, when he gave himself permission to think about her like that it was really coming out in force. All that repression was finally allowed free rein and he was almost a little frightened at the ferocity of how much he wanted her. He wanted to kiss her and he wanted to _bad_. He wanted to put his hands around those hips in that snug leather and the curve of her back looked irresistible and he was falling behind as she disappeared into the tunnel.

"Star?" he called, his hands out in front of him, groping through the dark.

"Yes?" she said, coming to a stop in front of him. His hands bumped into something soft.

She squeaked and he flicked his hands away like they were on fire.

"Um… was that you?"

"Yes," she said strangely.

"Should I ask what part of you that was?"

"Perhaps you should not."

He swallowed. "Sorry. I can't see anything."

"It was an accident," she said, reassuring him.

He carefully probed around and found her hand. They continued on and exited the tunnel. Her cheeks were red and Robin looked sheepish.

Starfire smiled and they walked into her room. "I scared many people today," she giggled. "I do not think they realized it was me, although I would have thought it was obvious!"

"People like getting scared, it's a thrill," Robin said, her enthusiasm spreading to him. "Besides, I don't think anyone knew you could make jungle cat sounds so convincingly."

"My people are descended from felines," Starfire said proudly. "The snarls used to be our battle call."

"Very sexy," Robin said, forgetting to engage his brain to mouth filter.

Starfire tilted her head and looked at him with a half smile on her face. "Really?"

Now flustered, he knew he couldn't backtrack or he'd risk hurting her feelings. "Yeah," he said off-hand, rubbing the back of his neck.

She smiled to herself and started forward again.

"I think you are sexy when you are kicking the butt of the bad guys," she commented.

Robin looked over at her. "Really?"

"You are most athletic. It is very pleasing," she said, looking down now and blushing.

"Thanks. I think you're amazing when you're kicking the butt of the bad guys too," he grinned.

"My starbolts are awesome?" she asked, teasing.

Robin laughed. "Yeah, your starbolts are awesome."

They reached the doll room, and even without Raven's powers it was still hella creepy. They both scooted out of there quickly. Robin suppressed a shudder. Why are old toys so disturbing?

They came upon the mouth of the maze and Starfire stopped, swinging his hand a little.

"Robin?"

She had question marks in her eyes, and Robin knew their flirting was going to turn into a discussion. He felt half prepared for it. He knew he couldn't just kiss her without the talk, it wouldn't be fair. He tamped down the little panicky feelings that started to rise in his throat. He'd been holding her hand this entire time, he accidentally felt up her chest, and he was shamelessly flirting. He couldn't take it back this time. It was all or nothing.

"Ever since we were stuck on that planet, we…" she trailed off.

"Yeah, I know," he said.

"We are different, yet we are not."

He shook his head in agreement.

"I wish… to be more."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I hope that you do too," she said, looking earnest. "I know you have not been treating me as an earthen girlfriend. As a _true_ girlfriend."

"Yeah," he said. Why was the only word he could get past his lips 'yeah'? It sounded so lame. She was trying to hash this out and his heart was in his throat, constricting it. Oh God, what if his voice cracked? He was well over that part of adolescence but every once in awhile…

"I am aware of the dating practices of humans. They are different, yet similar to Tamaranian traditions. I have been holding back for a very long time, but I feel that we have progressed enough to take it further?"

"Yeah," he said again. Lame lame _lame_!

"Robin, do you like me?" she asked, clasping her hands in front of her and gazing at him hopefully.

"Yes, of course Star," he said, his voice cracking. Damn it.

The smile lit up her face. "We can be more?"

"I would really like that," he said honestly, taking her hand.

Now she turned bashful, not meeting his eyes. "Would, you like to kiss me?"

He couldn't help it. The fireworks were going off in his stomach and a wide grin spread on his face. Permission, score!

In answer he raised his hand to her jaw and tipped her head up, meeting her big green doe eyes. He leaned in, his breath fanning over his lips in anticipation. He watched her gaze drop to his mouth and then her eyes slid closed as they connected. She was sweet and supple and her lips tasted like strawberry chapstick. The fireworks were replaced with butterflies and instead of disconnecting he pressed her into the wall, his other hand resting on the surface over her shoulder. He moved his mouth in time with hers, exploring the new sensation, her body feeling soft and curvy against his. He inhaled through his nose and caught the scent of her. She wore some sort of floral smelling perfume, and her hair felt silky against his fingers. His hands drifted down to her lower back, pulling her hips closer, and in that moment he realized if he didn't stop he'd get carried away. He disconnected and leaned back, and she looked up at him wonderingly with the most amazing look on her face. Then she grinned, and he grinned back, and he couldn't wait to kiss her again.

"We should go, they're probably looking for us," he finally said, his voice hoarse.

She giggled. Now they were both excited and giddy as they headed into the maze, locating the strobe lights and unplugging each one, holding hands in between and grinning like fools at each other.

_Happy Halloween to me!_ Robin thought as they headed for the last one. They glanced around, looking for the cord.

Starfire held her arms and gazed around at the now mostly darkened maze, the last strobe light flickering eerily.

"It is most unpleasant in here, is it not?" she said, frowning.

"Huh?" Robin said, looking back at her. He was still reeling from their kiss. He glanced around. Okay, yeah it was a little creepy. The sound track had stopped and the air was empty and quiet.

"Robin, let us get out of here," she said, moving closer to him and grabbing his arm.

"Okay, just let me unplug the last one, it's right here."

Starfire shrieked. "I saw a shadow!"

He stood up. "What?"

"A figure, I saw a figure over there!" she pointed.

"A person? Is someone still in here?" Robin said.

"No, it was not solid," Starfire said, shivering and grabbing his arm. "Let us go, Robin please, I do not like it in here!"

"Okay, okay- Oh, crap. I saw it too Star. Let's go!"

They scurried out of the maze.

Raven smirked to herself. She, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were still waiting. She wanted to go home and those two were taking their sweet time. They can make out all they want at the tower.

"What took you so long!" Beast Boy exclaimed as the two came rushing out.

"Nothing," they said simultaneously, a little breathless.

Cyborg gave them a teasing grin. "Right. Y'all look like you've been up to somethin'."

"Let's just go home," Robin said, steering them toward the door.

"What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost," Raven said, raising an eyebrow at Robin.

Robin stared at her, then narrowed his eyes and scoffed. "Good one, Raven. Very funny."

"You were taking too long."

"Well excuse me."

"I couldn't resist. Halloween's my favorite holiday," she said.

Starfire grinned brilliantly at Robin as she ducked into the T-Car.

Robin smirked. "Yeah? Well now it's my favorite too."

* * *

Okay ready everyone? Awwwwwwwwww!

My goal was to give you a toothache, either from all the Halloween candy or from reading this. Think I succeeded? Happy Halloween everyone!

On a side note, my high school used to host a haunted house that ran through the school every year and we set up a mylar maze like the one I described. It was creepy as all get out with the strobe lights on, even for us when we were the ones who set it up! It ran through the backstage area of our theater, where of course we have a school legend of a ghost that haunts the catwalks. My cousin helped us one year, and Beast Boy's part is straight out of real life. She scared every single person that came through our haunted house by jumping out of that stupid trunk. It was pretty hilarious.

Anyway- Kry, Star, how did I do? =D


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